Adjustable curling die



June 1 1926.

H. K. SMITH ADJUSTABLE GURLING DIE .u w a M W M i W k M] v H W 5 H m z 2 June 1, 192%.

HARRY K. SMITH, OF' BALTIMORE, vIARYLANIij- AsszG'iv-on to ATLANTIC-CAN COM- PANY, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE; KICORZPGFHATION or nnnawaan.

ADJUSTABLE.

confine-. DIE:

My invention'relates to adjustable curling dies for double seaming machines. It has a more particular application to that type of machine wherein thecurling of the edges of the can body'and can top is accomplished by rotating the body and top'a-bout the axis of the body. During this operation the can body and top are held in and against the curling die by means of a can table and the pressure exerted against the curling die by the curling die cam effects the'curling of the edges of the body and top.

Heretofore, in machines of this character this pressure has beenvaried by adjusting the position of the curling die cam, but due to the fact that there'areseveral curling dies which revolve about'this cam, slight differences in. the distances'of these dies from the :enter of the cam will not be compensated for by the mere adjusting of thecurling die cam; A different pressure would then be ex: erted uponeach die with a consequent lack of uniformity in the product.

My invention obviates this defect, and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts and devices herein shown and described, whereby individual adjustment of the curling dies is effected.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a double seaming machine.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts beingomitted.

Fig. 3 is a development of the camherein described.

Fig. & is a plan View of my adjustable curling die.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 55 1n Fig. & looking in the direction of the ar rows:

In the drawings represents the frame of a double seamingmachine upon which is secured thecam 11. The drive shaft 12. carries a lower turret 13 and anrupper turret 14, said shaft being rotatably mountedin the frame 10 in any approved manner. The lower turret 13 serves as. a carrier of the can tablesl-S. Saldcan tables are rotatably supported by sleevescoact with the cam 11 for a purposeherein-" I after explained.

Just below the upper tl r l eb 14 and 001.1-

centric with the shaft 12 is a fixed ca'nr support 18,.andsecured-thereto isythe curling} die 02111119 whichis fixed imposition. Verti cal adjustment oft-he cam- 19 is elfectuated by the adjusting screws'20.

The upperturret 14 serves as a carrier of the curling dies 21, of which there is one for each; can table 15-.

The disc 22 is secured" upon; the end 0f';thehaft-23 and serves as a chuck for' the can It is to be noted that the can tables 15- are placed around the shaft 12 r so that under each .die will boa-table;

Secured to. the spindles 23 and j ust above the=curling dies 21 are the curling; die ears 24 which meshwith the curling die cam gear 25; which. is mountedin any approved manner uponthe portion-18 so: that when; theturret-1 1; is rotated, thespindles-23'will also rotate. p

The above described meeh'anismi is oldyin the art and henceits construction has not been described in detailg a nd I shall now descrlbe how my improved adjust-able curling die; is used there-with.

The die 21- is composedofa frustro conical r1ng26 and afiange 27 The inclined surface 28 of the ring 26 during the curling operation bears against a similarly inclinedsurface-on the cam 19. The ring 26 is-carried'on a shoulder 29 provided; on the flange 27, and said ring is vertically adjusted by means'ofv screws such as 30 mounted in the flange- 27 said adjustment being locked by means of screws such as 31'.

In Fig. 5, the ring 26 is shown in its up permost position.

The shoulder 29 isprovided-- with a hole 32 for the passage of the spindle 23 and with a curling? groove 33. The under surface of the shoulder 29 rests upon the top ofthegdisjc 22. and hence the die 21 has free horizontal motion-with reference to the shaft 23-.

The operation of my improved curling die is as follows A; can body withitsi top is" placed upon. a can; table 15- while the corresponding roller 17v isbn-the-pOrtiQfr34of th oical fil 113;, that is; between: thepositionsiA; and B; ofthe-curling die21a; as shownrin Fig. 2.

The canJ table i-s. thenin its lowest position; so that the: eanbody and to 'b-will-clear the. cu ling; die 21,5 Wh n tlironghreteti n. f: the turret 14 the die 21 has reached the position B in Fig. 2, the roller 17 is then on the raised portion of the cam 11 and the can body and top are thereby clamped between the can table 15 and the disc 22. In this position the curling die 21 and the spindle 23 are in axial alignment and in order to permit said alignment, the curling die cam 19 is made eccentric as at 35 for a portion of its curvature.

The curling operation takes place when the turret moves in a clockwise direction from B to D, and during said movement, the die 21 is forced by the cam 19 into an eccentric position with reference to the spindle 23 causing the groove 33 to bear a ainst the edges of the can body and top.

' Since the can and its top are fixed in their relation to the spindle 23 by the can table 15 and the disc 22, and since the can and top are revolved by'the action of the gears 24 and 25, the horizontal movement of the groove 33 eii'ects the curling or" the edges of the can body and top.

After the can is removed from the can table between positions D and A the die 21 is brought back into concentric relation with the spindle 23 by a suitable guide on the frame of the machine said guide not being shown since it is old in the art and forms no part of my invention. By reason of the :h'ustro-conicalsurface 28 a change in the vertical position of the ring 26 will produce, through its reaction with the cam 19, a corrcspending change in the pressure which the groove 3 will exert during the curling op eration. Thus by reason of the individual adjustment on each curling die I am able to insure that the proper pressure will be cr-zcrtcd on each of the dies during the curling operation for the production of uniformly sealed cans.

'Vi hile I have shown one combination of n echanisnis for carrying out my invention yet it is to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact structure shown since changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. In a seaming machine for cans having a. body and a top, comprising means for holding and revolving said body and top, the combination with a die for rolling together the edges of said body and top, of a cam for moving said die transversely to said body to press said die against said edges,

and adjustable means for varying the pres sure of said die upon said edges. 7

2. In a seaming machine for cans having a body and a top, comprising means forholding and revolving said body and top, the combination with a die for rolling together the edges of said body and top, of a fixed cam for moving said die transversely to said iody to press said die against said edges, :1 frustro-conical ring mounted onsaid die and engaging said cam and means for varying the position of said ring with reference to said die.

In a seaming machine for cans having a body and a top, comprising a can table for holding said body, a disc for engaging said top and means for rotating said disc, the combination with a die for rolling together the edges of said body and top, of a liXed cam, a trustro-conical ring on said die engaging said cam and means for varying the relative positions of said ring and die to vary the pressure of said die on said edges.

1-. In a seaming machine for cans having a body and top, comprising a plurality of means for holding and rotating said cans, the combination with a plurality of dies for rolling together the body and top edges of said cans, of means for equalizing the pressure of said dies upon said edges, whereby a uniform product is obtained.

In a seaming machine for cans having a body and top, comprising a plurality of means for holding and rotating said cans, the combination with a plurality of dies for rolling together the body and top edges of said cans, of means for individually adjusting the pressure of said dies upon said edges, whereby a uni form product is obtained.

(5. In a seaming machine for cans having a body and top, the combination of rotatable means for clamping a plurality of said bodies and tops together, means encircling each of said tops for rolling together the edges thereof and of the corresponding body, said ci'icircling means being individually adjustable to eliecta uniform rolling of said edges. '7. In a seaming machine for cans having a body and top, the combination of a fixed cam, rotatable means for clamping a plurality of said bodies and tops together, said means being adapted to revolve around said cam, means encircling each of said tops for enacting with said cam to roll together the edges of said tops and of the corresponding body, said encircling means being inclividually adjustable to effect a uniform rolling o't said edges.

8. In a seaming machine for cans having a body and a top, comprising means for hold ing and revolving said body and top, the combination with a die for rolling together the edges of said body and top, of a cam for moving said die timnsversely to said body to n'ess said die against said edges, and adjustable means carried by said die for varying the pressure of said die upon said edges.

9. In a. seaming machine for cans having a body and a top, comprising a can table for holding said body, a disc for engaging said top and means for rotating said disc, the combination with a die movably mounted on said disc for rolling together the edges of. said body and top, of a fixed cam, a trustro-conical ring on said die engaging said cam and means for arying the relative positions of said ring and die to vary the pressure of said die on said edges.

10. in a seaming machine for cans having a body and top, the con'lhinution of a fixed cznn, rotatable means for clamping a plnx-ality of said bodies and tops together, said means being adapted to revolve around said. can], a die encircling each of said tops for rollinp' together the edges thereof and 0f the corresponding body, a frnstro-conical ring on said die adapted to engage with said cam 11 1d n'leens for varying the position of said ring relative to the corresoonding die for ell eating a uniform ro ling of said edges.

In testimony whereof, 1 am): my signltnre.

HARRY K. SMITH. 

